Crab trap



Feb. 19, 1952 B. R. LAMB 2,586,350

CRAB TRAP Filed Jan. 18, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET l Fig. 2.

Bert 5. Lamb INVENTOR.

BY MM 25% Feb. 19, 1952 B. R. LAMB CRAB TRAP Filed Jan. 18, 1950 2SHEETSSHEET 2 I /2 my. 4.

26 13 Barf. R. Lamb 38 v INVENTOR.

a: 0 32 2 y Y 15" W Amy: 34

Patented Feb. 19, 1952 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE 1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to new and useful limprovements and structuralrefinements fin traps, and the principal object of the invention is tofacilitate convenient, expeditious and efiicient trapping of crabs.

This object is achieved by the provision of a trap including abottomless housing having downwardly projecting frame members, togetherwith a bottom wall or platform which is slidable upwardly on the framemembers to a position wherein it constitutes a closure for the openbottom of the housing, so that when crabs approach the trap and walk onthe bottom wall or platform, a simple actuation of a pull line connectedto the platform causes the latter to slide upwardly and confine thecrabs to the housing of the trap which, as a whole, may be subsequentlylifted out of the water by means of the same pull line.

some of the advantages of the invention reside in its simplicity ofconstruction, in its simple and eificient operation as aforesaid, and inits adaptability to economical manufacture.

With the above more important objects and features in View and suchother objects and features as may become apparent as this specificationproceeds, the invention consists essentially in the construction andarrangement of parts as shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view thereof;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view, taken substantially in theplane of the line 3-3 in Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view, taken substantially in the planeof the line 4-4 in Figure 3.

Like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts in thespecification and throu hout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the inventionconsists of a crab trap designated generally by the reference characterIt), the same embodying in its construction a wire rod frame [2constituting a trap chamber element which comprises a circular uppermember l4, a circular lower member l6, and a plurality of vertical rodsl8 rigidly securing the upper and lower members together.

The entire frame 12 is preferably of a welded or soldered constructionand while the upper frame member I4 is substantially circular, asaforesaid. the lower frame member [6 simply assumes the form of crossedrods or bars which are secured at their outer ends to the lower ends ofthe upright members 18.

The upper portion of the frame 12 carries a foraminous housing 20 whichhas an open bottom and is defined by a top wall 22 and a marginal orperipheral wall 24. The top wall 22 of the housing is suitably securedto the upper frame member 14, while the marginal wall '24 is secured tothe upright members l8, there being provided at the lower edge of themarginal wall 24 and annular reinforcing member 26.

The upright members l8 of the frame l2 project downwardly below thereinforcing member 25 of the housing 20, and a crab receiving platformor bottom wall 28 is adapted to rest on the bottom frame member [6. Thisplatform or bottom wall is also of foraminous construction and ismounted upon a circular frame or annulus 3!! reinforced by a pluralityof cross-bars 32.

A plurality of guide rings 34 are secured to the annul s 30 of thebottom wall 28 and are slidable on 10 er end portions of the uprightframe members l8, whereby the bottom wall 28 may be raised from itslowered position to a position wherein it abuts the reinforcing member26 and affords a closure for the open bottom of the housing 20.

Sliding of the bottom wall 28 on the upright members [8 is efiected byan inverted, substantially U-shaped yoke 36 which includes a pair ofside arms 38 and a transverse bight portion 40, the bight portion 48being provided intermediate its ends with an eye or loop 42, while theside arms 38 are rigidly secured at their lower ends to the annulus 38of the bottom wall 28.

The bight portion 48 is, of course, disposed above the top wall 22 ofthe housing 20, and the side arms 38 are freely slidable in relativelylarge guide rings 44 which are welded or otherwise suitably secured tothe foraminous top wall 22 of the housing.

A suitable pull line or cable 46 is connected to the loop or eye 42, andwhen the invention is placed in use the entire device is lowered inwater by means of the pull line until the bottom frame member 16 restson the bottom or bed of the river, stream, or the like, and, needless tosay, as the line 46 continues to be paged out, the bottom wall 28 willgravitate until it rests on the bottom frame member l6.

Thereupon, when a crab or crabs walk on the bottom wall or platform 28,the line 46 is simply pulled upwardly so as to raise the bottom wall toa position wherein the crabs thereon are trapped in the housing 20, andas the line 46 continues to be pulled upwardly, the entire trap may, ofcourse, be drawn out of the water.

It is believed that the advantages and use of the invention will beclearly apparent from the foregoing disclosure and, accordingly, furtherdescription thereof at this point is deemed unnecessary.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is: A crab trapof the character described comprising a substantially cylindrical trapchamber element including a foraminous top and foraminous peripheralwalls, said trap chamber element being open at its bottom, vertical rodsfixed to the trap chamber element at circumferentially spaced points anddepending therefrom for supporting said trap chamber element in anelevated position, guide rings fixed on the foraminous top of thechamber element, crossed metallic rods extending between the lower endsof the supporting rods, a foraminous bottom for the chamber elementoperable vertically between the supporting rods and engageable, when inlowered position, on the crossed rods, other guide rings fixed on saidforaminous bottom and slidably encircling the lower portions of thesupporting rods, and a yoke for elevating the bottom to closed positionbeneath the trap chamber element, the legs of said yoke extendingslidably through the first-named guide rings and having their free endsfixed to the bottom.

BERT R. LAMB.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 413,877 Thrift Oct. 29, 1889713,890 Koch Nov. 18, 1902 1,488,331 Ferris Mar. 25, 1924 2,473,910 RuizJune 21, 1949 2,489,856 Buford Nov. 29, 1949

